How to Move Custom Motion Templates

Karsten asks:

I need to move a custom Motion project, a title designed for FCP X, from one computer to another. How do I do this?

Fortunately, this task is straight-forward, though, recently, new options in Final Cut have added some complexity, which I cover in the Extra Credit section below.

NOTE: While you can use this technique for purchased plug-ins, it is much wiser to install templates that you purchased directly on the new system as some professional templates install files outside the default location.

SECOND NOTE: Here’s an article the describes how to create effects in Motion to be used inside Final Cut.

GET STARTED

Titles, generators, transitions, effects or compositions created in Motion for Final Cut are all stored, by default, in: [ Home Directory ] > Movies > Motion Templates

Inside the Motion Templates folder, you’ll find up to five folders, depending upon the plugins you’ve purchased and the templates you’ve created.

NOTE: For this tutorial, I’m describing all these different templates using the word “effect,” just so you don’t get confused.

For example, in the Generators folder, are folders for different categories. In the Larry folder, which I use for all my personal templates, are two folders:

• Larry’s Split Screens
• Performance Master Grid

NOTE: Both of these were created for past tutorials.

Inside each template are the files Final Cut needs to display and apply the generator.

To move a template to another system, recreate the EXACT same folder path on the new system, the copy the folder for that effect and all its contents – Larry’s split screen, in my example – from the old machine to the new one.

NOTE: In my example, the path would be:
[ Home Directory ] > Movies > Motion Templates > Generators > Larry

The next time you start Final Cut on the new system, those templates will be there.

INSIDE MOTION

When you save an effect in Motion for Final Cut, you have the option to save unused media and create a preview movie. My general practice is to save a preview movie so that I can see what the effect looks like from within Final Cut.

When you do, a small movie appears inside the effect folder. This is why you need to move the entire contents of the folder from one system to another.

EXTRA CREDIT

Recent updates to Final Cut allow us to store custom Motion templates in the Motion Templates folder, the Library or a different location of our choice using File > Library Properties > Storage Locations.

If your library property settings show Motion Content is stored in:

• Motion Templates folder. The instructions in this article work as is.
• Another folder. Navigate to the selected folder and copy the effects folder as described above.
• Library.Change the Motion Content storage location in Library Properties to the Motion Templates folder, then follow the additional instructions below.

Further down Library Properties, Motion Content should show “In Motion Templates folder.” (If it doesn’t, change the storage location described in the previous step.)

Click Consolidate.

Final Cut warns you that your templates will be moved. Click OK.

Any custom Motion templates will move from inside the Library to the Motion Templates folder; you can now move them as outlined in the article above.

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